Spigelia – Pink Root

The mother tincture is prepared from the dried aerial parts of Spigelia anthelmia L., which occurs in Brazil, Java and the West Indies. N.O. Loganiaceae.

The tincture of Pink-root, Spigelia anthelmia, contains the alkaloid Spigelein and tannins.

Spigelia is a valuable remedy, effective not only in violent palpitations and turbu- lent cardiac activity, i.e. in violent episodes of palpitation, but also in valvular le- sions with murmur.

In such states the patient can often lie only on the right side, and desires to lie with the head very high. In addition to its action in cramping heart-complaints (similar to Cactus), Spigelia also acts well in stabbing pains of the heart, which one finds main- ly in acute endocarditis. At the same time there may be headaches, which begin on one side, usually the left, in the occiput, extend forwards and settle above the left eye. Like a migraine, these are aggravated by the least noise and by slight jarring, intensifying as the day goes on and decreasing again when the sun sets, the eye on the affected side frequently watering.

There is also aggravation from cold, damp, rainy weather, and from movement, noise and also especially light touch.

The pains need not be limited to the left eye and the heart, but may also extend to the limbs, especially the left arm, so that Spigelia also works beneficially in attacks of angina pectoris.

Eye problems of a rheumatic kind, particularly conjunctivitis with photophobia and possibly also ciliary neuralgia, are indications for Spigelia.

Nerve pains in various parts, rheumatic and gouty complaints, stopped coryza with an accumulation of mucus and swelling of the tonsils, and also worm com- plaints with frequent urging for urination can all respond well to Spigelia.

A prominent feature in the picture of Spigelia is particularly the vulnerability of the left side of the head, of the heart and of the left arm, including the shoulder-joint, from which rheumatic pains extend into the upper and lower arm, and fine pricking pains within various nerve pathways, e.g. in the brachial plexus. There may also be a clamping pain in the ball of the thumb and loss of sensation in the finger-tips, as well as a swelling of the hands and individual finger-joints.

A summing-up of Spigelia’s symptoms results in the following characteristic pic- ture of the remedy’s action:

1. Heart symptoms in the forefront. Visible and palpable pulsations of the heart with constriction of the chest and sensation of an oppressive load in the praecordium. Stabbing pains in the heart. Pains extending into the left arm. Acute endocarditis.
2. Violent headache in the temples and above the left eye, extending over from the occiput, increasing from morning to noon and then decreasing again towards the evening.
3. Tensive and stabbing pains in the eyeball. Conjunctivitis. Spasm of the eyelid.
4. Rheumatic pains in muscles and joints, especially in the left shoulder and left arm.

The therapeutic range of Spigelia is not particularly wide, but when properly indi- cated it seldom lets one down.

The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Spigelia anthelmia, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for spigelia: acute cardiac inflammation; angina pectoris; neuralgia; headaches; worm complaints.